Klein Oak improves to 2-0 with win over Cypress Creek

Painful loss for RB, CougarsCy Creek star can only watch after ACL injury

JENNY DIAL , Copyright 2010 Houston Chronicle

Published
5:30 am CDT, Sunday, September 5, 2010

Cypress Creek kicker Logan Muhl connects for a 28-yard field goal in the first quarter.

Cypress Creek kicker Logan Muhl connects for a 28-yard field goal in the first quarter.

Photo: ERIC CHRISTIAN SMITH, FOR THE CHRONICLE

Photo: ERIC CHRISTIAN SMITH, FOR THE CHRONICLE

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Cypress Creek kicker Logan Muhl connects for a 28-yard field goal in the first quarter.

Cypress Creek kicker Logan Muhl connects for a 28-yard field goal in the first quarter.

Photo: ERIC CHRISTIAN SMITH, FOR THE CHRONICLE

Klein Oak improves to 2-0 with win over Cypress Creek

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Cypress Creek running back Jermichael Selders would have never thought he would be standing on the sidelines during the first game of his senior year.

One of the area’s premier running backs, who committed to West Virginia last week, Selders tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee during practice last week and will be out indefinitely.

He watched, helpless, as the Cougars lost their first game to Klein Oak 27-10 on Saturday night at Klein Memorial Stadium.

“It was tough just watching from the sidelines,” Selders said. “There is a chance that I could come back this year. It just depends on how long my recovery takes.”

Although the loss of Selders is a big one for Cy Creek (0-1), the Cougars have plenty of offensive weapons, starting with quarterback Chucky Keeton. That didn’t matter, though, as Klein Oak (2-0) had more defensive weapons who could handle the load.

“They are a good team with some explosive players,” Klein Oak coach David Smith said. “I thought our defense did a terrific job holding them.”

While the Klein Oak defense was consistent from start to finish, the offense made a handful of big plays to get points on the board.

Quarterback Nicky Baratti had two touchdowns — on 49-and 42-yard runs. Running back EJ Fatu had his hand in on two touchdowns. The first, which put Klein Oak up 20-10 in the fourth quarter, came when Fatu took off for 25 yards and tossed a lateral to sophomore receiver Eugene Estes, who went 25 more yards for a touchdown. Then he scored on a 22-yard run that gave the Panthers the 27-10 lead and eventual win.

“We have the kind of players that can do that — that can make big plays for us and get things done,” Smith said. “They did that tonight when Cy Creek was in a position to come back.”

A comeback wasn’t out of the question for the Cougars. When the two met at this point last season, Cy Creek scored 14 points in the fourth quarter and ended up beating Klein Oak 23-17. It looked like they were staging a similar comeback when they trailed 14-3 and running back Devan Demas broke free for a 32-yard score.

“It was really a time in the game where we had to score some more points,” Fatu said. “We needed to just put it away.”

The win came on Parents’ Night, which made it extra special for Fatu and his brother, lineman Arthur. They both were wearing bands around their thighs that read “RIP DAD.”

“My father passed away last year, and this is our first football season without him, so we just wanted to pay tribute,” EJ Fatu said.

Klein Oak will cap its tough non-district schedule next week when it plays North Shore at 7 p.m. Friday at Galena Park ISD Stadium.

Cypress Creek will start district play at 7 p.m. Friday against Cypress Springs at Pridgeon Stadium. Selders had surgery on his knee Friday and said he hopes to be back for the playoffs.